Sharjah Ports does its bit for the environment

The Seaport of Sharjah has decided to install bins where passing tankers can dump their oil sludge for recycling.

The Seaport of Sharjah has decided to install bins where passing tankers can dump their oil sludge for recycling. Emirates Environmental Protection Company (Eco) has provided the five bins, but promises more if the need arises. Eco will also help the authority to monitor the logs of the ships that pass any of the five ports of Sharjah (including the eastern port of Khorfakkan), to ensure that the tankers comply with the Marpol regulations that prevent them from dumping oil in the sea. The gulf of Oman on the east coast of the UAE is the point of entry and exit for all tankers wishing to enter the Arabian Gulf. Ships wait offshore in the area before being granted permission to enter the Gulf. Pollution has always been high in the area, with oil slicks regularly washed ashore. “The Sharjah port is taking the issue very seriously and is encouraging tankers by giving them a viable option, instead of blind enforcement,” said Thangappan Muthu, business development manager, Eco. The Khorfakkan port, which is in the emirate of Sharjah, is currently the only one in the UAE to have a reception facility to treat sludge and oily wastes within the port. All other emirates have a facility, but they are located outside the ports, causing the danger of a spill during road transportation.